GNRH AGONIST TEST

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. To test the overall hypothesis that the hormonal responses to injection of a challenge dose of GnRH agonist (GnRHag) will distinguish among disorders of puberty as well as a sleep test. Specifically, we will test the hypotheses that the response to injection of the GnRH agonist leuprolide acetate will distinguish among the causes of precocious puberty and among the causes of delayed puberty as well as a hormonal sleep test. Obstacles to making a timely diagnosis of disorders of puberty exist: 1) manufacturing cut-backs for low-profit drugs lead to frequent unavailability of natural GnRH (Factrel) for testing purposes, 2) childhood norms and diagnostic criteria have not been established for the current generation of highly sensitive and specific gonadotropin and sex steroid assays, and 3) scientific advances have led to potential new diagnostic outcome measures. This project compares children with disorders of puberty with healthy childhood controls. Primary outcome measures are the mean LH response to sleep in comparison to the LH peak response to the GnRHag leuprolide acetate.